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October 6, 2011

Quick Test Gives CD4 Count Upon Testing HIV Positive

In low-income countries, a new quick test is helping more people learn their CD4 count immediately after they test HIV positive, The New York Times reports. This point-of-care testing is beneficial because knowing your CD4 count is an important first step to proper treatment. Without the test, patients have to return to the clinic for CD4 evaluations—a step that many skip. Researchers in Mozambique looked at data on more than 900 people who tested positive for HIV before and after point-of-care CD4 cell count tests were available. Before the quick test, only 42 percent returned to find out their CD4 counts. After the quick test, 78 percent of positive patients learned their CD4 counts. Point-of-care technologies increase efficiency and can help solve access-to-care issues.

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